Carotid intima-media thickness in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review.

We systematically reviewed the available data on carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) without history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its associated factors. A total of 6 studies met the inclusion criteria including 217 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 85 with ulcerative colitis (UC). Two studies included only patients with CD. The prevalence of traditional CVD risk factors and the inflammatory burden (IBD duration and activity) varied greatly among patients and studies. Factors that correlated with cIMT were age, male gender, body mass index, arterial hypertension, as well as cholesterol and homocysteine levels. The current data on cIMT in patients with IBD are inconclusive. This is probably due to small number of patients, population heterogeneity with regard to inflammatory burden and smoking habits, and lack of strict matching with controls. In order to elucidate any potential association between IBD and CVD risk, larger prospective studies are required.